Sick Pontifex: Pope Francis wants to appear public on Sunday

According to the Vatican, Pope Francis will be published again on Sunday since the beginning of his weekly hospital stay. After the traditional Angelus prayer, the 88-year-old head of the Catholic Church is planning to show a greeting and a blessing from the Gemelli Clinic in Rome, the Vatican said.

Francis has been treated in the hospital for five weeks for pneumonia. Since the delivery, the Vatican has only published one photo of him. Francis can be seen on this from behind.

The announcement of the Vatican did not realize whether Francis will be on the window of his hospital room or even on a balcony. Many Italian media are more likely to expect an appearance at the window.

His predecessor Pope John Paul II (1920-2005) showed himself from the clinic’s window during some of his many hospital stays and spoke a blessing or read a speech. Francis himself showed himself on a balcony of the clinic in 2021 after he had to be operated on at the intestine.

The Angelus prayer will not lead Francis on Sunday as in the past few weeks, the Vatican said. Usually the Pope holds the Angelus prayer on St. Peter’s Square in front of tens of thousands of believers on Sundays at lunchtime. However, Francis has not been able to do so since his hospital delivery on February 14th. The Sunday prayer had been published in writing every week since then.

What happens after a possible discharge?

From the perspective of the influential cardinal Victor Fernandez, a new phase of his pontificate begins after a possible dismissal of Pope Francis from the hospital. The Pontifex is a “man of surprises,” said Fernandez on Friday at a book presentation in Rome. Fernandez is the head of the powerful faith authority of the Vatican and is considered a confidante of the Pope.

When asked by journalists whether a resignation could be part of these surprises, Fernandez said: “I don’t really think so.” In the now five weeks in the Gemelli Clinic, the Pope “learned many things that will be important for the church and the world”.

Francis only suffered from bronchitis, later a pneumonia developed on both sides. In the clinic he suffered several seizures of acute shortness of breath. According to the Vatican, he is now on the way of improvement. Fernandez called no time to return to the Vatican.

According to Fernandez, Francis addresses the treatment well. However, after weeks of supply with additional oxygen, he had to learn to speak correctly. Officially, Fernandez did not visit the Pope in the hospital, but he said that he had contact with Francis. A few weeks ago, Francis spoke up with an audio message from the clinic, he had difficulty speaking.

Easter celebrations in the Vatican in April

Next month, the big Easter celebrations are on the program in the Vatican. It is unclear whether Francis can be released from the clinic beforehand.